SWDnovel Chapter 25 Investigating the Case of the Late Emperor's Death!
Chapter 25 Investigating the Case of the Late Emperor's Death!
Emperor Xiaozong?!
Sure enough it was him!
Zhu Houzhao looked surprised, feeling that his long-held impressions had been shattered.
Zhu Houzhao pondered for a moment, then suddenly asked Han Zhi, a supervising secretary in the Ministry of Revenue, "Did you also receive the late emperor's instruction to impeach Zhang Heling and Zhang Yanling for undermining the salt laws?"
Seeing that Li Mengyang had already revealed the truth, Han Zhi had no reason to hesitate and immediately said, "Your Majesty is wise; it was indeed the late Emperor who instructed me to do this!"
Zhu Houzhao shook his head repeatedly, utterly shocked.
Zhu Houzhao always believed that Emperor Xiaozong tolerated civil officials and relatives of the empress because he was kind to officials and deeply loved Lady Zhang.
But now it seems that may not be the case at all.
In the seventh year of the Hongzhi reign, Emperor Xiaozong wanted to deal with the maternal relatives, but he failed.
In the seventeenth year of the Hongzhi reign, when he was about to take action against the maternal relatives again, Emperor Xiaozong suddenly died just a few months later.
There must be more to this than meets the eye!
Zhu Houzhao waved his hand: "You may leave."
"Liu Jin, summon Cao Zhengchun!"
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
After seeing Li Mengyang and Han Zhi off, Cao Zhengchun went to the Qianqing Palace.
"This old servant, Cao Zhengchun, greets Your Majesty!"
Zhu Houzhao looked at Cao Zhengchun, his tone colder than ever before: "Cao Zhengchun, you will immediately begin investigating the matter of the late emperor's death."
"What exactly happened in the year before the late emperor's death? You must investigate every single detail for me!"
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
Cao Zhengchun was puzzled as to why Zhu Houzhao suddenly wanted to investigate the death of the late emperor.
However, since it was Zhu Houzhao's order, he simply carried it out.
After Cao Zhengchun accepted his orders and took his leave, Zhu Houzhao looked at the empty Qianqing Palace and felt an overwhelming chill in his heart.
Once he became emperor, he was truly a lonely figure.
His enemies were everywhere: in the imperial court, in the harem, in the provinces, and even in the martial arts world.
Everyone coveted the power in his hands; everyone wanted to take away the imperial power from him.
Zhu Houzhao would never allow such a thing.
Anyone who covets his power will have his life taken!
……
Liaodong.
Tens of thousands of troops fought fiercely outside Liaodong City, and the Liaodong defenders put up a desperate resistance.
However, due to their deliberate strategy and the fact that the Liaodong defenders were caught off guard, they suffered a great loss and were forced to retreat in defeat.
The sounds of fighting and screams rose up together. The governor of Liaodong was killed in battle, and the Liaodong garrison was immediately leaderless.
Several fast horses took advantage of the chaos to escape from Liaodong City and head straight for the capital.
Urgent! Hurry, hurry, hurry!
The Uriyangkhai, with their wolfish ambitions, first submitted and then rebelled!
Hua Dang, the leader of the Doyan Guard, led the entire Uriyangkhai in an attack on Liaodong!
Liaodong City is in imminent danger. Once the city falls, the Uriyangkhai will surely slaughter the people of the Ming Dynasty and plunder its wealth!
This matter must be reported to His Majesty as soon as possible!
After four days and three nights, the border general finally delivered the intelligence to the capital and handed it over to the Ministry of War.
Liu Daxia, then Minister of War, did not hesitate and immediately went to the palace to meet the emperor.
"Your Majesty, an urgent message arrives from Liaodong: the Uriyangkhai have rebelled and are attacking key towns in Liaodong!"
"Your Majesty, please dispatch troops immediately to reinforce Liaodong!"
Zhu Houzhao looked at Liu Daxia kneeling on the ground with a suspicious and uncertain expression, fearing that there might be a trap.
It's no wonder the emperor was suspicious. Living in an environment where it was hard to distinguish between true and false information every day, how could he not be suspicious?
Previously, when Zhu Houzhao ordered a purge of the troops in the capital region, a military report came from Xuanfu saying that Yutailing had suffered a major defeat.
Upon investigation, it was discovered that it was a mutiny orchestrated by civil officials in collusion with border generals.
He has just arrested and imprisoned two cabinet ministers, and has now ordered an investigation into the death of the late emperor.
Soon after, another military report came from Liaodong, saying that Liaodong was in grave danger. How could this not arouse Zhu Houzhao's suspicion?
Especially now that Zhu Houzhao's trust in civil officials has dropped to its lowest point, he is naturally unwilling to easily believe this matter.
"Bring it here!"
"Please take a look, Your Majesty!"
Liu Daxia was open and honest, without any selfish motives, and presented the battle report to Zhu Houzhao.
Liu Daxia had only just learned about this matter, and since he had not been involved, he was naturally not afraid.
Zhu Houzhao took the battle report, opened it, and his expression became increasingly solemn.
The Uriyangkhai rebellion was triggered by the fact that Hua Dang, the leader of the Doyan Guard, led an army of 50,000 to attack Liaodong, intending to enter the pass and plunder the people.
It was already late September, and temperatures in the north had plummeted; snow was expected soon.
Hua Dang's attack on Liaodong was mostly aimed at seizing money and grain to get through the winter.
Liu Daxia said at the opportune moment, "Your Majesty, in the past few years, this Hua Dang has repeatedly asked our Great Ming to increase the tribute quota and bestow rewards, but the late Emperor refused them all."
"His rebellion this time is most likely because of this matter; he's retaliating against our Great Ming!"
Zhu Houzhao pondered for a while and was about to order the cabinet to draft a battle strategy.
But then I remembered that two cabinet ministers were currently imprisoned in the Six Doors prison, and one minister had taken sick leave, leaving his cabinet completely empty.
"Your Ministry of War must immediately draft a strategy for the campaign against Liaodong and present it to me."
"Yes, Your Majesty. This humble subject takes his leave."
After Liu Daxia left, Zhu Houzhao tapped the table thoughtfully: "Cao Zhengchun."
"This old servant is here."
Before Cao Zhengchun even showed himself, his voice could be heard from afar.
Zhu Houzhao picked up a pen, wrote a handwritten edict, and handed it to Cao Zhengchun.
"Cao Zhengchun, take this imperial edict and go to the Dragon Guard Manor immediately."
"He ordered the Iron-Blooded Marquis to lead his imperial spies to Liaodong to investigate the situation."
"If it is indeed the Khwarazmian Khan who has invaded, bring me his head!"
"Dragon Guard Manor, Iron-Blooded Marquis?"
Upon hearing these two names, Cao Zhengchun's expression immediately turned somewhat strange.
Why entrust this matter to the Dragon Guard Manor?
Couldn't the Eastern Depot bring back Hua Dang's head?
Although Cao Zhengchun harbored resentment in his heart, he dared not show it in front of Zhu Houzhao.
He simply kowtowed and accepted the order: "Yes, Your Majesty!"
"This old servant will depart for the Dragon Guard Manor immediately!"
……
Several hours later, Cao Zhengchun, who came and went like the wind, was already standing in front of the Dragon Guard Manor.
Looking at the plaque of the Dragon Guardian Villa, with the four large characters "Dragon Guardian Villa" personally inscribed by the late emperor, I couldn't help but feel a sense of emotion.
Before Cao Zhengchun could even step inside, Zhu Wushi had already walked out of the manor and stood in front of Cao Zhengchun.
"Eunuch Cao, your presence is an honor to us. We at the Dragon Guard Manor have failed to greet you properly."
Cao Zhengchun then put on that smiling face again, bowing repeatedly: "Isn't what you're saying making me feel ashamed?"
"Our family is merely a servant of the emperor, while the Divine Marquis is the emperor's own uncle. This is unacceptable."
Zhu Wushi remained expressionless and said calmly, "Eunuch Cao is a favorite of His Majesty, in charge of the Eastern Depot, and is extremely busy. If he had nothing to do, he would not have come to my Dragon Guard Manor."
"This visit must have been at His Majesty's behest, right?"
Cao Zhengchun smiled and said, "As expected of the Divine Marquis, you are truly a master of foresight."
"I have indeed come here with a decree from His Majesty to deliver to the Divine Marquis."